John Benjamins Publishing Company
Corpus linguistics and grammaticalisation theory
Abstract
The paper argues for a closer collaboration between corpus linguists and grammaticalisation theorists. Corpora have a number of benefits: First, they make it possible to study incipient or ongoing processes of grammaticalisation. Secondly, a quantitative-cum-qualitative analysis of corpus data makes it possible to shed light on important theoretical issues. Thirdly, corpora allow a better take on the textlinguistic, genre and discourse factors relevant to grammaticalisation.
The general points made are illustrated with data provided in the digitally accessible quotation base of the OED. On the basis of the evidence, I propose a distinction between two types of grammaticalisation, a “dynamic” one, which is reflected in massive shifts of frequency, and a “static” one, which can be characterised as the occasional use of lexical items in grammatical function.
Abstract
The paper argues for a closer collaboration between corpus linguists and grammaticalisation theorists. Corpora have a number of benefits: First, they make it possible to study incipient or ongoing processes of grammaticalisation. Secondly, a quantitative-cum-qualitative analysis of corpus data makes it possible to shed light on important theoretical issues. Thirdly, corpora allow a better take on the textlinguistic, genre and discourse factors relevant to grammaticalisation.
The general points made are illustrated with data provided in the digitally accessible quotation base of the OED. On the basis of the evidence, I propose a distinction between two types of grammaticalisation, a “dynamic” one, which is reflected in massive shifts of frequency, and a “static” one, which can be characterised as the occasional use of lexical items in grammatical function.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Introduction ix
- Three perspectives on grammaticalization 1
- Have to, gotta, must ? 33
- The semantic path from modality to aspect 57
- The passival and the progressive passive 79
- Corpus linguistics and grammaticalisation theory 121
- Grammaticalisation from side to side 151
- Are low-frequency complex prepositions grammaticalized? 171
- Life after degrammaticalisation 211
- Subject clitics in English 227
- Name index 257
- Subject index 261
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Introduction ix
- Three perspectives on grammaticalization 1
- Have to, gotta, must ? 33
- The semantic path from modality to aspect 57
- The passival and the progressive passive 79
- Corpus linguistics and grammaticalisation theory 121
- Grammaticalisation from side to side 151
- Are low-frequency complex prepositions grammaticalized? 171
- Life after degrammaticalisation 211
- Subject clitics in English 227
- Name index 257
- Subject index 261
